01/10/2022 City Council Regular Meeting Adopted 01/24/2022
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
01/10/2022 City of Gilroy
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
January 10, 2022
I. OPENING
A. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM by Mayor Blankley.
1. Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Blankley led the pledge of allegiance.
2. Invocation
Pastor Greg Quirke from South Valley Community Church provided the
invocation.
3. City Clerk's Report on Posting the Agenda
City Clerk Pham declared the posting of the Agenda.
4. Roll Call
Attendee Name Title Status
Marie Blankley Mayor Present
Rebeca Armendáriz Council Member Present
Dion Bracco Council Member Present
Zach Hilton Council Member Present
Peter Leroe-Muñoz Vice Mayor Present
Carol Marques Council Member Present
Fred Tovar Council Member Present
B. Orders of the Day
There were none.
C. Employee Introductions
Police Chief Espinoza introduced Officer Carlos Plascencia.
Finance Director Sangha introduced Financial Analyst Victoria Rhaman and
Accounting Assistant Natalia Becerra Batiz.
City Administrator Forbis introduced Monica Sendejas, who was promoted to
Management Analyst.
Human Resources Director McPhillips introduced Facilities Maintenance
Specialist Rigoberto Canela.
II. CEREMONIAL ITEMS
A. Proclamations, Awards and Presentations
There were none.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
January 10, 2022
Page 2 of 8
III. PRESENTATIONS TO THE COUNCIL
Mayor Blankley opened the public comment period.
The following speaker spoke on items not on the agenda:
Beth Ogilvie spoke on opposition of the El Camino Real Mission Bell installation.
Victor Cid spoke on the issue of RVs and homelessness near his place of work.
Valentin Lopez spoke on opposition of the Bell Mission installation.
Laura One Feather spoke on opposition of the Bell Mission installation.
Jill Kunishige spoke on opposition of the Bell Mission installation.
Greg Cotton spoke on opposition of the Bell Mission installation.
Petra Macias requested Council Member Armendáriz to step down from the
Council.
Beatrice Macias requested Council Member Armendáriz to step down to step
down from the Council.
Jan Guffey spoke on opposition of the Bell Mission installation.
Michelle Glover spoke on opposition of the Bell Mission installation.
Marcus Rodriguez spoke on opposition of the Bell Mission installation.
Vicente Moreno spoke on opposition of the Bell Mission installation.
There being no further public comment, Mayor Blankley closed public comment.
IV. REPORTS OF COUNCIL MEMBERS
Council Member Bracco wished the public a happy new year. He asked for a
moment of silence to remember those who lost their lives due to Covid-19.
Council Member Armendáriz notified of two new future events. The first is a health
fair will be held at the Neon Exchange on January 14th. The second is Town Hall
on Fentanyl Awareness on January 18th at Old City Hall at 6 PM.
Council Member Marques reported that she attended a retreat with the Downtown
Business Association on January 8th. She also stated that she is the point person
in the City of Gilroy in distributing petitions and gathering signatures for Brand-
Huang-Mendoza Tripartisan Land Use Initiative and encouraged the public to
email her if they are interested in learning more about the initiative and signing the
petition.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
January 10, 2022
Page 3 of 8
Council Member Hilton reported that the Board of Directors of Visit Gilroy California
Welcome Center meeting. He also reported that he will have a meeting with Silicon
Valley Energy Authority on January 11th about Reach Codes.
Council Member Tovar wished the community a happy new year. He thanked and
appreciated the members speaking at tonight’s meeting and conveyed to them that
their comments were heard. He wanted to thank the Salvation Army for feeding
and providing presents to over 300 children this past Christmas.
Council Member Leroe-Muñoz stated that he will report on Cities Association of
Santa Clara County Board of Directors in the upcoming January 24 City Council
Regular Meeting.
Mayor Blankley reported on the SCVWD Joint Council-SCRWA-Board Water
Resources Committee and the January 6th VTA Board of Directors meeting. She
also stated that the City will be conducting a Fentanyl Informational Town Hall
meeting that is separate from Council Member Armendáriz’s town hall event.
V. FUTURE COUNCIL INITIATED ITEMS
Mayor Blankley requested to agendize directing staff to contact Caltrans about
requesting to erect a California landmark sign for Highway 152. The request
received unanimous support.
Council Member Armendáriz requested to agendize a discussion of the
postponement of the El Camino Real Mission Bell installation. The request failed
to receive majority support.
Council Member Tovar requested Council to have discussion about the future of
Gilroy Garlic Festival. City Administrator Forbis suggested that his office could
extend an invitation to the Garlic Festival Board to provide a presentation to
Council.
VI. CONSENT CALENDAR (ROLL CALL VOTE)
Mayor Blankley opened Public Comment.
There being no public comments, Mayor Blankley closed public comment.
RESULT: APPROVE [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Dion Bracco, Council Member
SECONDER: Peter Leroe-Muñoz, Vice Mayor
AYES: Blankley, Armendáriz, Bracco, Hilton, Leroe-Muñoz, Marques, Tovar
1. December 6, 2021 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
A motion was made to approve the minutes.
2. December 13, 2021 City Council Special Meeting Action Minutes
A motion was made to approve the minutes.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
January 10, 2022
Page 4 of 8
3. Claim of Westwood Inv., LLC (The City Administrator recommends a “yes”
vote under the Consent Calendar shall constitute the denial of the claim)
A motion was made to deny the claim.
VII. BIDS AND PROPOSALS
1. Award of Contract for CEQA Review of Planning Application's AS21-13 and
TM 21-02 for 6970 Camino Arroyo Development Project.
City Administrator Forbis gave staff presentation and responded to Council
Members questions.
Mayor Blankley open Public Comment.
There being no public comments, Mayor Blankley closed public comment.
Possible Action:
Award a contract to EMC Planning in the amount of $169,049.00 for
preparation of an initial study/mitigated negative declaration for Planning
Application AS 21-13 and authorize the City Administrator to execute the
contract and associated documents.
RESULT: APPROVE [6 TO 1 ABSENCE]
MOVER: Dion Bracco, Council Member
SECONDER: Fred Tovar, Council Member
AYES: Blankley, Bracco, Hilton, Leroe-Muñoz, Marques, Tovar
ABSENT: Rebeca Armendáriz
2. Approval of a Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Budget Amendment Increasing
Appropriations in the Amount of $63,502 and Award of a Contract to
Burkett's Pool Plastering Inc. for a Base Bid amount of $280,457, with a
contingency of $28,045 for the Christopher High School Activity Pool Re-
Plaster, Project No. 22-ASD-271.
Facilities Superintendent Dunckel gave staff presentation and responded to
Council Members questions.
Mayor Blankley open Public Comment.
There was no public comment.
There being no public comments, Mayor Blankley closed public comment.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
January 10, 2022
Page 5 of 8
Possible Action:
a. Adopt a resolution of the City Council of the City of Gilroy amending the
FY 22 budget to transfer $63,502 from Capital Projects Fund (400) to
Facilities Fund (651) and appropriate the related expenditure for the Pool
Replaster project.
b. Award a contract to Burkett's Pool Plastering Inc. for the base bid price
of $280,457 for the Christopher High School Activity Pool Re-plaster,
Project No. 22-ASD-271, establish a contingency of up to $28,045 (10%),
and authorize the City Administrator to execute the contract and
associated documents.
A motion was made by Vice Mayor Leroe-Muñoz, seconded by Council Member
Tovar, to adopt the resolution and award a contract to Burkett’s Pool Plastering
Inc. The motion was carried by the following vote:
RESULT: APPROVE [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Peter Leroe-Muñoz, Vice Mayor
SECONDER: Fred Tovar, Council Member
AYES: Blankley, Armendáriz, Bracco, Hilton, Leroe-Muñoz, Marques,
Tovar
Enactment No.: Resolution No. 2022-01
VIII. PUBLIC HEARINGS
No Public Hearings listed.
IX. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. Streamline Consolidation of the City's Boards and Commissions
City Administrator Forbis gave staff presentation and responded to Council
Members questions.
Mayor Blankley opened Public Comment.
Public Comments:
Jan Guffey stated it was not the time to fold the Housing and Neighborhood
Revitalization Commission into the Planning Commission.
Carolyn Schimandle urged Council to reconsider folding Bicycle Pedestrian
Commission into Planning Commission and let it remain as its own separate
commission.
Ron Kirkish requested Council to listen to the City Administrator and support the
consolidation.
There being no further comments, Mayor Blankley closed public comment.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
January 10, 2022
Page 6 of 8
Possible Action:
Council:
a) Adopt A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Gilroy Consolidating
the Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization Committee, Historic
Heritage Committee, and the Street Naming Committee, and Placing Their
Associated Board Functions Under the Authority of the Planning
Commission.
RESULT: APPROVE [5 TO 2]
MOVER: Fred Tovar, Council Member
SECONDER: Peter Leroe-Muñoz, Vice Mayor
AYES: Blankley, Bracco, Leroe-Muñoz, Marques, Tovar
NAYS: Rebeca Armendáriz, Zach Hilton
Enactment No.: Resolution No. 2022-02
b) Motion to read the ordinance by title only and waive further reading.
RESULT: APPROVE [5 TO 2]
MOVER: Dion Bracco, Council Member
SECONDER: Peter Leroe-Muñoz, Vice Mayor
AYES: Blankley, Bracco, Leroe-Muñoz, Marques, Tovar
NAYS: Rebeca Armendáriz, Zach Hilton
City Clerk Pham read aloud the title of the proposed ordinance.
c) Introduce an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Gilroy
Consolidating the Bicycle Pedestrian Commission and Placing Their
Associated Board Functions for Infrastructure Planning and
Development Review Under the Authority of the Planning Commission,
and the Associated Board Functions for Education and Encouragement
Activities Under the Authority of the Parks and Recreation Commission.
RESULT: APPROVE [5 TO 2]
MOVER: Fred Tovar, Council Member
SECONDER: Dion Bracco, Council Member
AYES: Blankley, Bracco, Leroe-Muñoz, Marques, Tovar
NAYS: Rebeca Armendáriz, Zach Hilton
X. INTRODUCTION OF NEW BUSINESS
1. Consideration of authorizing virtual meetings pursuant to Section 54953 of
the Brown Act for Council and all Boards and Commissions
City Administrator Forbis gave staff presentation and responded to Council
Members questions.
Mayor Blankley opened Public Comment.
There being no comments, Mayor Blankley closed public comment.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
January 10, 2022
Page 7 of 8
Possible Action:
Adopt Resolution authorizing virtual meetings pursuant to Section 54953 of
the Brown Act for Council and all Boards and Commissions.
RESULT: APPROVE [5 TO 2]
MOVER: Rebeca Armendáriz, Council Member
SECONDER: Fred Tovar, Council Member
AYES: Blankley, Armendáriz, Hilton, Leroe-Muñoz, Tovar
NAYS: Dion Bracco, Carol Marques
Enactment No.: Resolution No. 2022-03
2. Accept the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for Fiscal Year-Ended
June 30, 2021
Finance Director Sangha gave staff presentation.
Mayor Blankley opened Public Comment.
There being no comments, Mayor Blankley closed public comment.
Possible Action:
Accept and file report.
RESULT: RECEIVE REPORT
XI. CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT
C. City-wide Road Repairs Due to Recent Inclement Weather
City Administrator Forbis provided an update on the item and responded to Council
Members questions.
Council received the report.
A. Covid-19 Update
Fire Chief Wyatt provided an update on the item and responded to Council
Members questions.
Council received the report.
B. Status of In-Person Council Meetings
No report was given.
XII. CITY ATTORNEY'S REPORT
None provided.
XIII. CLOSED SESSION
There were no Closed Session items listed.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
January 10, 2022
Page 8 of 8
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting was adjourned at 8:08 p.m.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and regularly adopted at
a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Gilroy on January 24, 2022
Tfiai Nam Pham, CMC, CPMC
City Clerk